My husband has always been my rock, giving me the support and encouragement I need to pursue my dreams. Without him, I would not be where I am today, writing for La Prensa and making a valuable contribution to the Newspaper. His faith in me has inspired me, and I am grateful for his love and support.
In addition, I would also like to thank my mom for instilling in me a love of writing from a young age. Her encouragement and guidance have been invaluable in helping me develop my skills as a writer. I am grateful for her support and proud to follow in her footsteps.
My husband has an entirely different outlook on life than I have. He sees possibility where I see impossibility, potential where I see dead ends. If you had asked me five years ago if I would be married to someone with a different outlook on life, I would have said no. But here I am, living proof that love does conquer all. We are two very different people. He comes from an affluent family in a foreign country. I come from a struggling single-parent mom who raised me, so our views on life are entirely different.
My husband has never really experienced systemic racism, a fancy word for teachers telling you that you will never amount to anything. Racism is one thing my husband doesn’t think about. However, he is also not someone who worries about things he cannot change. This is something that I find incredibly admirable.
I have a scarcity mindset. An example was when I needed a green screen for a project I was working on and didn’t have enough money for it. I was quick to say I can’t afford it, and it can’t be done. Coming from a place of scarcity, I find it challenging to take action and find ways to make things happen. I am more likely to say that something can’t be done regarding money or anything else. On the other hand, my husband is more likely to take action and find a way to make something happen, even if it means working nights doing Uber until we have enough money.
When you come from a scarcity mindset, achieving your goals is challenging because you’re always focused on what you don’t have instead of what you do. This makes it hard to stay motivated and optimistic, both essential for reaching your goals. Additionally, when you’re constantly worrying about not having enough, you often make poor decisions that can sabotage your success.
When it came to my writing, my mother feared that my articles sounded like a scene from a screenplay. But screenplay writing and journalism writing are two different animals. Furthermore, my mother was concerned that people would criticize my articles and that I would quickly become discouraged from wanting to write for the paper. This is why winning this leadership award from Luche Sigue is so important to me. It solidifies my efforts in reporting the news to the Latino community in a way we can understand and relate to. I am committed to telling our stories and shedding light on our issues. And with this recognition, I am more motivated than ever to keep doing this vital work.
As a writer, I strive to tell both meaningful and relatable stories. I started writing screenplays about 15 years ago after realizing I could use my skills as an actress to bring my own stories to life. My short films have been well-received, and in 2021 I was awarded for my screenplay Barrio Of Mansions. This experience has shown me that I have a gift for capturing the human experience on film regarding storytelling.
Most of my scripts are about my own experiences of heartbreak and disappointment, which I have had a lot of. The screenplays that I create are usually distributed throughout the film festivals. For those who are not familiar with film festivals, they are a form of obscure art galleries for filmmakers. Only a hand full of people ever really see my work, and there are never any ramifications for anything I write.
But in a way, this is what makes writing so profound for me. By
putting my experiences out there, I am opening myself up to criticism
and judgment from strangers. But at the same time, I am also inviting
people to share my experiences and to see the world through my eyes. Writing is so cathartic for me – it is a way to share my most personal thoughts and feelings with the world and receive feedback from others that can help me grow.
Any art form, whether acting or writing or painting, magnifies the person within. What is revealed is a complex and fascinating creature capable of great depth and feeling. The artist may not always be in control of what is expressed, but through their work, they can share something of themselves with the world that is both unique and powerful.
Art can also be a form of escape, a way to explore different
aspects of the self and to work through personal issues. In this way, it can be
both therapeutic and cathartic. The artist may not always be aware of their work’s effect on others, but it can often be profound.
Whether we create art or enjoy it, we are all
connected through our shared humanity. It is this that makes art so unique and
so important in our lives.
There is a famous quote by Omar Khayyam.
“The moving finger writes; and, having writ, moves on: nor all thy piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line, nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.
This means that the moving finger writes, and once it’s written, it moves on. So, no matter how much you pray or how smart you are, you can’t erase part of a line or wash away a word.”
Many of my articles for La Prensa are about the harsh, cruel disparity that our people face. I feel so powerless because I have great empathy for our people’s struggles, being the sensitive artist I am. So often, I can go off on tangents about how unfair the world is, and most of what I write comes from within my soul. However, with the Omar Khayyam quote in mind, I have to remind myself that the written word cannot be taken back and that I must be careful about what I write. It’s essential to think before putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) because the words I choose could have a lasting impact.
It is truly an honor to receive the Lucha Siege award for being a leader. I have had the privilege of seeing our leaders in action, giving speeches at rallies and protests, and to think that I have been accepted in that league with the great activists is truly a humbling experience that I shall treasure for the rest of my days.
I am grateful for the trust that has been placed in me by the
Lucha Siege award committee and I pledge to use this honor as motivation to
continue fighting for the rights of all people. Thank you for this recognition,
and I look forward to continuing to work with all of you to make our world a better place.
By Diane Revilla
